Saturday, December 29, 2012

Colors, Colors, Colors - everywhere we look is color.
We are inundated in visuals 24/7 within technology.

Colors bright, Colors Vibrant, Colors unheard of, Color Color Color, on screens, in
photos, on-line magazines. You never know what the true color is until you buy it, in a
sample, a quart, a gallon. The paper color sheets samples, I have found convenience, yet not much help in the long run.

Everything matters, your lighting, what you are painting, if it is a wall the texture etc. If it is sample paint, not paper sample, it augments itself once applied, a no brainer. I do not know if this is fact or not, was once told that premixed and mixed by color choice sample paints
( created for sale) are not truly the actual paint that is for purchase.

That they are for short life duration, that they are lifeless, as they are weakened and not of any category. Not the same, as purchasing it, in a quart, gallon, none are true during application as a Flat, Satin, Shell etc, they are created for temporary use, for color only. Who am I to believe?

Everyone who I have met that works in paint departments, seem to offer a different said, no matter if it is a big box store, or an actual name brand paint store. I have found that many local Paint stores that offer samples, do not rotate their sampler stock.

I have purchased, sealed samplers to find them once home, dried, gummy, gooey and ucky inside. At 6.00+ a pop, not cool. I have purchased them from other stores where they make the actual sample for you, it is all dependent on who is behind the paint counter. End result may vary, human error is of the equation. If you find sample pots at your local paint store, hardware and you wish to purchase them, some tips below. Possibly they are not sold (by some) any longer, Paint seems never to have been so popular, as it is in the last few years, it changes vastly what each company offers.

Samples Shake them, hold it up to your ear, do you hear liquid? or do you hear sludge? Ask if you can open it first prior to buying - if it is sealed, ask if there is one that is open for you to view. If they will not open a sampler for you, offer a sorry no can do, show one that has been opened, it's their loss of sale. Or you can buy it and find it to be a crap shoot once home. Dust on the toppers, outside, is an indicator, that they are not a popular commodity sold by, or recommended by the Paint dept persons in that particular store. IE: no one is moderating the samples, no one rotating them, as they sit and gather dirt. It's a 50/50 chance that you will be able to use them, let alone find them the actual color and true meant to be consistency once opened.

If premixed Samples are showcased and recommended by the salesperson, they to take pride in what they are selling, chances are your taking home a product fresh, to be used as instructed, to offer you an actual sample of your color chosen. It does matter. I know. Again it's your dollars, time and effort.

If the sample is being made for you, ask the paint person to dab not only the top of the container, but the actual paper swatch. View it dried. Does it compare or does it disappear? Match or sorta match? If they give you an O'geeze response to go the distance, dabbing and drying, on the container and paper swatch. Um, they probably have a personal reason, for their reaction. Paint mixing not their Forte'. Filling in for Painter Bob, Painter Sally on their break or vacation. Too many people in line, that they feel the need to rush, tough Noogies, it's your time, money and effort, that is why your purchasing the paint, sample or not, in the first place. View the label they apply, is the color Name, number, printed on or left off ? does the printed information match the swatch you picked out?

I found that you have to ask for paint Stirrer's they are no longer a handed out given with paint purchase. Paint Can openers are no longer a freebie, you must buy them today at 90 percent of paint sellers, paint big box retailers. If they ask how many paint stirs do you need, easy answer " as many as you can give me" 3-4 is good for one gallon I have found. If you find yourself home at another time, paint purchase, to realize you are " Stir-less" you have stock, a clean stir for future use, is a smile not a sigh.

I have found that buying premixed samples from, Ben Moore, Pittsburgh Paints, Pratt and Lambert, the outer container clear, filtered but clear plastic is not always friend to what is inside, lesson learned. Glidden offers samples. The samples I have are brown bottles, not clear or filtered containers, there is something to this. It offers no light to affect the paint inside. Granted you cannot see the actual color inside, it though does offer a concept that makes sense. Think of a bottle of peroxide. I see online they are using white jars as samplers present or past? All my Glidden samples are in brown bottles.

The one thing about Glidden is they have a smaller range of colors, they are sealed. With the smaller range of colors it is practically no fail even so, your choosing without viewing the inside. I have purchased many Glidden samplers in the past. They may have changed since then. They did then offer a brush inside, as the glue we used as kids, rubber cement. The brush attached to the screw off top. The downfall that is of my own observation, the brush is fine, yet the paint runs, no matter how much you scrape off the brush. The brush inside, a great design. The drips, dribbling is a frustration, all could do without. The consistency of the sample paint to me, is a bit runny, more than should be allowed.

Is the actual Glidden paint purchased in a quart, gallon the same? I do not know the answer. I have to say the thinness of the samples was a deterrent, not to buy it in a gallon size. Everyone has an ideal, does not mean it is better or less than, it is of personal preference during use and the affect achieved in the end.

I have asked my local hardware for sample of Dutch Boy only to find they do not offer them. They offer a small container at a price tag, ah hem. The sample size, " Twist and Try" what I was shown, as this is an independently owned hardware store, maybe different at other stores. The sample, a Quart, 29 oz container. You really must want to sample a color if you purchase the Quart. Found a color that I thought, I could not live without trying. I believe the quart cost, sticker shock, 13.00, could have been more, I think I am still in shock. The young boy who sold it to me, to tell me, it is a temporary paint, not to be used on anything for duration. He telling the truth or? consequences may vary if I did use it on permanent surface. Never again. It was a waste of my dollars.

I do have gallons of Dutch Boy. I have found in my gallons that the consistency of the paint itself does not match, it varies, even so they are all the same, same everything, all are Semi-gloss. What I believe it is not the paint itself but the pigments added. The stronger the color, the consistency to vary. The colors chosen not of the Dutch Boy line, yet I had them made with Dutch Boy Semi Gloss. This too, choosing colors outside the Dutch Boy line? could be part of the inconsistency, I am not a chemist.

Each after opening, to vary quite a bit in consistency. The deepest color as in pigmented a deep blue green teal - to be the thinnest. It however is not a bad, as in runny as in dripping. It is thinner in texture. Which I have found on wood, it allows the wood grain to show. Heck if I know, possibly it is upon the human who mixed it. The real bummer is that the human who mixed it, did not put the name of the color I chose on the paint label. It is a nameless, code-less, semi-gloss. All the " gallons" I have purchased, the humans to mix them, the stories to be told, the paint once home to be a endless surprise, I am beginning to feel like this.

Shaken not stirred - Nameless Teal

A beautiful Color

Bought on a whim 2012

Will be Used 2013

Used on a project, that requires less than a gallon

Not trusting the "We can match any color"

The Carnival Ride Games of Paints not this year, finger's crossed

not the same is it

expectations do matter

as so do my dollars

As Your own Dollars do

Time, Effort, cost of paint $$, supplies, no matter the line, the colorchosen

The 5 PPG Palettes, each with 5 colors for intermixing. Three of the five new palettes to incorporate " Orange" and or Orange hues. Orange one of my favorite colors. Once painted in my old apartment, a desert dusky orange. Was a color, that is no longer made. Buta-coarse. It turned out fabulous and it offered a wonderful comforting feel to my living area. Earthy, calming, captivating to the eye. All colors as accent offered enhancement. Especially cobalt blue, clean whites, rustic metal art.

A website found, that offers collective palettes from Pittsburgh Paints. Color boards, decorator boards, pulling together a theme. Many offer the color scheme I had once. As it seems, trends recycle. I then paid zero attention to interiors trends, I chose what I liked, this 10yrs ago, it was the color that fit my furnishings, my space I had at that time.

One of many "boards" they offer, I believe this is a fairly new website.

Again you see, the trending of " Orange" being a primary color within the theme. I am
seeing Navy, and shades of dusky blues, the trending now. Earthy whites, not yellow or
pink tone hued, but blue clear based whites.

Porter Paints ( joined ?) or have always been a part of PPG?
" The Voice of Color" - Video of Porter Paints ~ 2013 Colors

I see trending, Navy, Blues, Reds and Orange. Red making a comeback?

As shown in this video, lots of vibrant " Reds" on walls, and used as accent.

Red as a color to accent, as a theme. Red being a " Wall color" *sigh* My personal prospective, Red is One color you do not want to use in abundance. Red dominates. Even so Red is a primary color, it does not go " with everything" if it is the Dominating Color of the room.

There is 1000's of red. Each unique to it's own, it's own base, tone, hue. Red the color of Nostalgia. To have a piece of furniture, a picture frame red, or an art piece, to use it in decor is one thing. To build a room around it " RED" - is another.

It is a color that many gravitate to, for wall color. I have learned from my own mistakes. It is the most difficult to paint even on brand new dry wall. The pigments within, it makes it difficult to create a smooth finish, even after multiple coats. I read online to use a gray primer. I asked the Paint guy, my local paint store, he disagreed. He created a primer with a tint of my end color blended in. Was a fiasco. Never again. Cannot recall what stage this was of my DIY after 4 days of attempts, I gave up. I never said I was a painter, I am a scribbler.

I disgruntled and mad to the point, I am going to have this color if it kills me.. had to hire a pro actually fix my hot mess. He using Lambswool rollers and taking his time, he was able to finish the room. The end result " RED" Walls. The color at first was enchanting, that I had never taken on such a color so deep, vivid and rich. The color was so RED it wasn't a pleasant exchange emotionally " was too much" the color was brutal after a short time. Sucked the oxygen out of the room, was overwhelming.

The after:

This photo taken during my reconstruction, the ceiling painted white, the walls painted Night Flower by Ben Moore. A deep magenta red. Red walls shown on decorator sites, that look fabulous, more than likely painted by pro's and or the photos themselves photo shopped to view as the Perfect Red.

DIY's out there, who have used Red on walls, each person I am sure has their own story to tell. The rooms you see in magazines to have the perfect aesthetic, furniture and furnishings.If you do choose Red, beware it takes on it's own life, once it is upon the walls. If you have red walls and love them, more power to you. I found the red upon my walls to be a detraction, not a enhancement.

If you love the Monochromatic look - it can be yours

Two colors, shades of, to bounce off each other -

The difference between Red as a Room

Red, the primary " Accent"
So not the same - as you can visualize

Accents are easy to alter, change
Walls are not, keep that in mind :) lesson learned

Saturday, December 15, 2012

I allowed other influences in, that I felt over powered me.
Who am I ? that I needed to be put into place? by them?

I am Butahouse

Evidently they found me as competition or ? something that they felt the need to make me stop whatever I was doing. What was I doing I have to ask? I am a scribbler, I am not paid, I am of my own works in my abode. Do not represent anyone or any product, god forbid, don't do that. You may insult someone, and not even know it. Praise and Fun, blogging on a product is not tolerable, unless you buy it from your keeper. I did not know I was owned. That my money was so imperative, to one who is 100 times with. Not without. My house is my house. I do not live in Beverly Hills, I am not a house wife. I am not a house husband.

My mansion lives inside my head. My entire main floor does not equal anothers bathroom. Who they deem, my bathroom isn't quite big enough, for one. Crickets. My main floor is bigger than all the apartments I rented in the last 16 yrs. It's over big for me. I get lost all by turning around. I do not have to walk 20yards and ask why did I enter this room? football field to find my coffee cup.

My house is humble. It is not Better house with gardens, pools and chandeliers. Not a domain that you need tin cans with strings to find your family members are you HOME?

Crumbling plaster yes, horse hair, mud packed barn wood, under my carpet upstairs yes.
Real wood thick trimmed everything with 17 coats of paint yes. Fugly not yet finished real wood floors, 30 yr old carpet I stripped myself. 700 staples dug in, center floor, not bordering, taken out, me on my knees. No one to aid me, no one to hire it done for me.
The cranky floors still today, that I walk upon just fine. They will be " finished" someday.

My house is an old Sister, born in 1924. She is frayed. She is not perfect. This why I fell for her. She is Butahouse. I am 3rd to live in this dwelling. Two families raised in this house, prior to me, living here. The woman who lived here for 51 years, had secrets only known to her, her at the time widowed. She age 93 confessed to me, the day we met, to sign the papers. I have a secret. Everyone sitting at this long table, her adult children present drooling waiting for their portion of ching.

She reached across the table, to take my hand, with her perfectly manicured nails in fruit punch red, she told me her secret. "I hide my Lemon drops in the dishwasher" my kids bought me that dishwasher years ago and I have never ran it, it's brand new for you. If you find sugar inside it, it's because I hide my candy stash inside it, top rack. I have to, because if I don't my family, when they visit, they will eat all my candy. She winked at me and smiled, grasping my hand softly. Marty her name. She had me at Hello.

The house mine, key in hand, this weeks later. I came across a plastic baggie stuffed, tucked away in a hiding place. The baggie incredibly old, the contents " Lemon Drops"
Crusty old crumbly lemon drops, a paper clip, two rubber bands and one more thing.

A tiny 2 inch tall " Cross" - made of metal, silver tone, with letters imprinted on it
" God Bless this House"

I found out by a neighbor soon after that Marty died, she died in her sleep. I was beyond saddened. The neighbor to say, she loved that house, it was her home, she was not at home, after the house sold. The Cross hangs in my garage, on a wall that Marty's Husband created. I do not buy Lemon Drops. I do not need to. My house is filled always with Lemons, lemonade, lemon aroma, it always my favorite. Sweetarts I buy by the bag and hide them on myself. Tart, Sweet and addictive. I do not put them in my dishwasher. I do though randomly wink and smile as I walk this house, my yard, and think of Fruit Punch colored nail polish. Only Marty could wear at 93 yrs young, she to share her secrets.
---
Color hers, she planted in the front and backyard - White, Purple and Orange

We have a lot in common, - time to get back to, Ms. Marty. She inspires me, she never promised me a dishwasher, she promised me Lemon Drops. And I found them, no longer her secret, they were found priceless.

She was an artist, she painted, she loved to paint. Her paintings hung in the house when I was shown it, I asked and the real estate agent said, they are promised to her children.

My blog is my House. If you want to hate on me. If you think I duped you. If you think, shaking my head, I did something to you personally with malice in my heart.
You never knew me to begin with. Rich comes from within, not from ..

Butahouse is back.

Color Color Color

Me who I am and will be blogging soon - the scribbler holding a wet paint brush
No more Dry